Setting her free
by recycledfaery
Summary: What was going on in Edward’s mind the night he dropped Bella and her motorcycle off so she could go and visit Jacob? Rated T for bad words. I don't own these characters.


**Title:** Setting her free  
**Author:** **recycledfaery**  
**Type:** Pure fluff / oneshot  
**Rating:** maybe 13 for bad words  
**Characters/Pairings:** Bella and Edward feat. Alice and a little bit of Jacob  
**Short summary:** What was going on in Edward's mind the night he dropped Bella and her motorcycle off so she could go and visit Jacob?  
**Disclaimer:** I don't own these characters.

He doesn't get far before he has to stop his car and get out, get out and run. He'd just dropped her off on the territory line. He delivered her into the hands of a dog, a dog who told him in no uncertain terms that he is not going to fight fair for Bella's love. That he is going to pull every trick out of the hat to win her over. Edward has never, and that is saying something, never had to fight so hard to keep his temper. Not even that time in Port Angeles when those men were attacking her. Well it may be a close second now that he brought that particular memory up again. He doesn't want to lose his love, now that he found her, to this pup, this arrogant dog. What if she decides to stay with this boy? How will he survive that? The mere thought of it forces him to stop dead in his tracks and he crumbles to the ground.

There was a moment where he almost asked her to stay, not go, not cross the line today. He grabbed her just before she could turn to go and wrapped himself around her, fighting for control, kissing her, putting every ounce passion and tenderness into it. The dog definitely didn't like it and it confused Bella for a moment, but she turned when Jacob honked the horn. And Edward didn't ask her not to go. How could he? He loves her too much to control her like that.

Not something the dog seems to struggle with a little voice in his mind tells him. No the dog is playing dirty and Edward is too much of a coward to play dirty back because what if he loses her because of that? But what if he loses her if he plays fair? He is out of his comfort zone. This is not a game. How can that boy not see it? It is their lives he is playing with.

He remembers Rose's words again _if you love her Edward set her free._

_"Fuck that,"_ he growls to himself. The trees are dark shadows around him and he is glad there is no one there to see him breaking down. This girl, this human holds his life in the palm of her hand and she doesn't even realise it. Everything he does he does for her. Every thought he has, has her at its core.

For the hundredth time does he wish he could turn back time, now that would be a great trick. If only, he thinks, because none of his powers seem to work on her, he might as well get a new one and change the past. He would never have left her if he thought she wouldn't get over him. Well maybe she did, maybe she was starting to heal. Just thinking about that particular possibility causes pain to rush through his insides twisting them. He growls, and he sounds like a dog howling at the moon. _"Pathetic,"_ he mumbles. _"You are pathetic Edward Cullen."_

He can't believe that he delivered her hook line and sinker like that into Jacob Black's hands. No arms are the more specific part of his anatomy. Even helping her with her bike. He clutches panicky at his jeans' pocket just to make sure that he has his tiny cell phone on him. He takes it out checking that he has a signal. _"Pathetic,"_ he mumbles again.

He finally takes a look around and sees that he is sitting in their meadow. Had he really run that far? He loses all perspective when it comes to this woman. He has no control over his thoughts. Every time he closes his eyes he sees her in the arms of the dog. He looks up and realises suddenly that he's not alone. How did he not see her coming in his mind? He must be near breaking point. She sits down next to him and speaks in a soft voice.

_"Edward, stop, please stop this now."_

_"Alice?"_

_"You know I feel your pain. Please don't do this to yourself. She will come back, believe me when I say that she will choose you. I know the dogs are involved and it makes things a little blurry, but I know Bella and I see the way she looks at you. And besides you were not the one sitting next to her on that plane to Italy. If I didn't know better I would have thought she was indestructible. She was so determined to save you she didn't think for one second about her safely. Her own life that was in more danger than yours. She wanted, no she needed to save you. She needed it like breathing, the same way I need Jasper. Edward she loves you."_

_"Then why is she with that dog now?"_ He can't help himself.

_"That my brother is your own fault, you were the one who left. You pushed her right into his arms and it looks like you're doing it again. She loves you Edward but you are going to have to fight for her."_

_"I don't want to blackmail her like the dog does. I don't want to force anything on her."_

_"It's not forcing Edward. She loves you. She needs no forcing. All you have to do is ask her..."_

He puts his hands in his face and sees her in the arms of Jacob again. By the time he looks up Alice has left. But she still has one more thing to say to him through her thoughts: _This is forever. This is not a game. This is for keeps._ He grimaces because those were the exact thoughts he had earlier on. How ironic for his sister to repeat them to him now.

He starts to run again and as he reaches his car his phone buzzes. It's her, no it's the dog.

_"I'm bringing her back. She fell asleep."_

Edward couldn't help himself. _"Your company not interesting enough to keep her awake dog?"_

He's at the line before Jacob's car gets there and paces between the trees, waiting for her. When she finally reaches him he scoops her up in his arms. The relief feels like her fingers on his skin when she stroked him that first time in the meadow, in the sunshine. She came back to him, this time. He has another chance, but he smells the scent of the dog on her. That boy must have held her all night and she let him, he thinks in agony.


End file.
